Bentley Puts Continental GT V8 S Convertible Against Train

Back in 1930, Captain Woold Barnato – a Le Mans three-time winner – stacked a Bentley Speed Six against Saudi Arabia’s Blue Train as it traveled Cannes to Calais. Barnato found his way into the history books, as he traveled through Calais and headed straight for London. He arrived in London four minutes before the Blue Train made it to Calais. As a tribute to this legendary race, Steven Kane raced a new Bentley Continental GT V-8 S Convertible against Saudi Arabia’s only passenger train.

Kane’s sprint across the desert in the Continental GT took a total of four hours, and 14 minutes as he traveled to Damman, which is located 480 km (298 miles) away from his starting point in Riyadh. In the end, he beat the train with six minutes to spare. You would think the four-hour run would be no different that a normal stint at Le Mans, but Kane admitted that this race was more stressful that an average LeMans Stint. The heat and conditions just added to the stress of not knowing where the train was at during the race. Kane went on record saying that he hopes his performance would make Barnato proud.

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Why it matters

Racing a train is tough business. The train has, for the most part, a straight shot between the two cities, while Kane had to navigate desert roads and comply with the various tragic laws. Just one wrong turn could have easily set him back more than enough to change the results of the race. And, this was in a new Continental – Just imagine what Captain Barnato experienced doing a similar race in an old Bentley Speed Six.

The dune train takes a 480 km route from Riyadh – deep in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula – to Damman on the Arabian Gulf. The new Continental GT V8 S Convertible raced this unique locomotive on August 15th across the scorched, baren landscape and won, with six minutes to spare.

Bentley Team M-Sport driver, Steven Kane, said: “Four hours is the same time as a stint at Le Mans.
But this was far more stressful. The heat, the conditions, not knowing where the train was, while driving within the limits of the country’s regulations.
It was a race like no other. I hope Barnato would be proud.”